This is the story of how the essence of life in America changed because of the widespread adoption of the automobile, the people and institutions behind those changes, and how American car culture has been represented in film, song, poetry and literature. The book covers the automobile from its inception as a mechanical curiosity and later a plaything for the well-to-do; Henry Ford and the rise of the machine age; competition and the evolving consumer in the 1920s; the development of roads and the accompanying road culture; religion, gender, courtship and sex; the Great Depression; World War II; the 1950s golden age of automobiles and the emergence of youth culture, the hot rod and rock and roll; societal changes in the 1960s as represented by automobiles; and the numerous changes since 1980.
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About the Author
John Heitmann is alumni chair in humanities and a professor of history at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.
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John Heitmann grew up in Kenmore, New York, and later received degrees from Davidson College (B.S., 1970), Clemson University (MA, 1974), and Johns Hopkins University (PhD, 1983). An historian of science and technology and former chemist, he joined the faculty at the University of Dayton in 1983, where he is currently a professor of history. John has several loves in his life beyond his wife, Kaye and daughter, Lisa. He loves to play tennis, and does so competitively, although old age has seeming hit him like a ton of bricks as fragile knees have slowed him down on the court the past year or so. He also loves cars, going back to his first, a 1959 MGA, and his current vehicle, a 1971 Porsche 911 T Targa. As he has discovered over the years, John enjoys driving cars, but only to a lesser degree does he find joy in working on them. He does so, however, often with a moderate degree of frustration. After years about writing on historical topics of little direct interest to him, John now writes on automobiles, the road, and anything that connects to his life in the present and past. You can catch up to him by reading his blog at http://automobileandamericanlife.blogspot.com/.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have book for car fans and historians,
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This review is from: The Automobile and American Life (Paperback)
This is an excellent and thorough examination of how much of an impact the automobile has had on modern day society. Heitmann's enthusiasm for both automobiles and history shows as he
discusses how the automobile has influenced all aspects of American society and how society has shaped the automobile. This is a must read for anyone interested in cars or history buffs.
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